History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 33

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 33

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The seminary at Poplar Ridge was a flourishing school. the principal of

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which for many years was Rebecca Trueblood. W. W. Chappell and L. S. Baldwin also were principals of this school.

The seminary at Spicewood, under the principalship of John Penning- ton, was a large and popular school. E. A. Hutchens was principal of this seminary for two years.

Professor Boone says of the seminaries: "The schools of today may be better organized and more uniform and more generally accessible, but from no school or system of schools has been taught a truer patriotism, more generous living, or safer habits than in these same old seminaries."

The first teachers' institute was held at Cicero in 1867. The instructors were Lewis Estes and Professor Hoss. The entire cost of the institute was twenty dollars. Each year from that date a county teachers' institute has been held in the county. Most of these sessions have been held at Nobles- ville, but a single session has been held at Arcadia, Sheridan, Westfield and Carmel. The cost has increased until it is now impossible to conduct a ses- sion for less than three hundred and twenty-five dollars.

The Hamilton County Teachers' Normal was organized in 1873 by James Baldwin and Stanley Losey. These normals were conducted each year to and including 1903. Mr. E. A. Hutchens was an instructor for eighteen terms of the normal and J. F. Haines for fifteen years.

NOBLESVILLE SCHOOLS.

The first schoolhouse in Noblesville was a log cabin on the corner of Maple avenue and Eighth street. The first term was taught by R. L. Hanna- man. The next schoolhouse was a cabin on the corner of Tenth and Clinton streets. A Mr. Simpson taught in this house for several years. The next schoolhouse was a frame building situated on Sixth street. It is still stand- ing. The next house was the brick on East Logan street. Following this the Seminary was erected. T. J. Kane and P. C. Lawyer were popular teachers in these early years. One of the principals of the Seminary was De Witt. He was a man of very short stature. After his service as teacher he opened a restaurant in Noblesville, which he conducted for a number of years.

The high school was organized by James Baldwin in 1870. At first there was a two-years' course; in a few years this was increased to three years, and in 1886 the course was lengthened to four years. Following is a list of the superintendents : James Baldwin, John Lacy, E. E. Henry, B. F. Owen, F. W. Reubelt, George F. Kenaston, John F. Haines, John A. Car- nagey, Edwin L. Holton and Emmet C. Stopher.

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The period of the greatest growth of the schools was from 1888 to 1900. In 1888 there were enrolled in the schools about six hundred pupils, fifty-six of whom were in the high school. There were thirteen teachers, two in the high school. In 1900 there were almost fourteen hundred pupils, two hundred and sixteen of whom were in the high school. The number of teachers had increased to thirty. In 1888 there was but one building, the second ward schoolhouse, which occupies the grounds where formerly stood the Seminary, on Seminary square. It was completed in 1872. In 1889 the first ward building was completed, in 1892 the third ward building was oc- cupied, and in 1900 the high school building.

In 1891 music was put into the schools and Miss Edith Graham em- ployed as the supervisor.

At present there are twenty-one teachers in the grades, seven teachers in the high school and supervisors of domestic science, drawing and music. Mr. Emmet C. Stopher is the superintendent.

SHERIDAN SCHOOLS.

The first schoolhouse near Sheridan was built by George Boxley on his farm for the instruction of his own children and those of his neighbors. He himself was an efficient teacher. In this rude log schoolhouse, one end of which was taken up with a large fireplace, was the beginning of the schools of Sheridan. Mr. J. O. Pearson gives the following personal recollection of the house and scholars :

"The windows had sticks across and paper on, and were greased to ad- mit the light. The seats were split out and hand-shaved, with wooden pins for legs. The door was of shaved boards. The one long desk was a long plank on pins in the wall. There was John McKinzie, F. M. McKinzie, Mrs. S. A. Vickery. Peter D. Horn. Nelson Higbee's uncles and aunts, Ellis Dean's mother, Howard Stephenson's mother, P. G. Pearson and Addison Boxley."

In 1850 the Dunn schoolhouse was built near the Rodeman corner. Isaac Underwood was the only teacher who taught in this house for a num- ber of years. In 1869 what was known as the Rodeman schoolhouse was built. It was a two-room building. A peculiar circumstance connected with the building of this house was that the trustee refused to build the house unless Mr. E. A. Hutchens would agree to teach the school. The consent of Mr. Hutchens was secured, the house erected, and Mr. Hutchens was the teacher for the next five years.

With the building of the Monon railroad the growth of Sheridan was assured. The trustee in 1885 was Eli Hutchens. He purchased the grounds

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where the second ward building now stands, and Henry Devaney, his suc- cessor, erected the building in 1886. School opened in September, 1886, with John F. Haines as principal. A number of high school subjects were taught, but some of the common branches were also retained. The following year a regular two years' high school course was established by direction of the county superintendent, E. A. Hutchens.

The growth of the town was very rapid and consequently the growth of the school was equally rapid. The building erected in 1886 contained four rooms, which were not adequate for the attendance the first year, and an addition of four rooms was built and more teachers added. In 1895 the first ward building was erected. This was a substantial brick building, con- taining four rooms. The growth of the schools has been very rapid, and for a number of years the high school had outgrown its quarters. In 1912 the board erected an addition to the first ward building, to which the high school was removed.

Sheridan has had excellent schools for many years. The school spirit of the community is good and the support of the public is cheerfully given. Following is a list of the superintendents: John F. Haines, T. L. Harris, C. A. Peterson, David Wells, M. H. Stuart, Chas. Mendenhall, Abraham Bowers, E. J. Llewelyn, Roscoe Beals, H. L. Moreland, Jas. W. Kirk.

WESTFIELD SCHOOLS.

The first school in Westfield was located just east of town and was a "loud school." Later a school called the "abolition school" was held in the old Abolition church. This house was located just north of the present cor- poration line of Westfield and at the west side of the road. In 1856 John Beals and Lisle Jessup built a two-room house in Westfield. This was the first public school building. In 1858 A. P. Howe, then a young man, or- ganized the first work in high school subjects. He made his own course of study. I wish to pause a moment here to pay tribute to the work of Prof. A. P. Howe. He was one of the pioneers of education in Hamilton county. He served as examiner and afterward as county superintendent of Hamilton county. For many years he was connected with the schools of Westfield. At one time he was editor and proprietor of the Westfield News. In both public and private life he was a man of pure life, high ideals and strict integrity.

`The building that served as the public schoolhouse of Westfield was a frame structure containing four rooms in the first story and two in the sec- ond story. High school was conducted in the upper rooms. The early high

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school course was not clearly differentiated from the common school course. The high schools of the early seventies, and even into the eighties, taught a mixture of high school subjects and common school subjects.

In 1892 the high school classes were transferred to the Union High building and all the grades to the town building. This was the first real public high school. Mr. A. V. Hodgin was superintendent and Clinton Sherrick, trustee. In 1898 the high school was moved back to the Westfield - building and the township high school began in September of that year, with W. C. Day as superintendent. A commission was secured and has been held continuously to the present day.

In January, 1904, the public schoolhouse burned. The high school se- cured rooms at the Union High building to complete the term and the grades were quartered in empty storerooms. For three years the schools were housed in whatever rooms could be secured. In spite of the poor quarters, the schools, under the supervision of W. A. Jessup, maintained a high stand- ard. The attendance was increased and new departments created. A class in agriculture was organized in 1906. This was the first class in agriculture organized in any public high school in Indiana.

In 1908 the present building was erected. To the trustee, Ira Stan- brough, and Supt. W. A. Jessup, much credit is due for the splendid build- ing and its equipment. At the time this building was erected it was pro- nounced by a government expert from Washington to be one of the most commodious and best equipped school buildings in the Central West. It was here that the first domestic science kitchen in Indiana was established outside of a large city. The reputation of the Westfield schools is not sur- passed by any other schools in the county. It has always stood for well qualified and efficient teachers. It maintains departments in vocational work and in music and art. Following is a list of principals : A. P. Howe, J. H. Fodrea, A. Knight, Charles Chambers, A. V. Hodgins, W. C. Day. W. A. Jessup, Guy C. Cantwell and H. M. Dixon.

ARCADIA SCHOOLS.

The schools of Arcadia have improved greatly in comparison with those of many towns of about one thousand inhabitants. The first school was held in a building on the land which was entered by Moses Martz, built by a few of the settlers who saw the necessity of a building. This round-log building had a roof of clapboards, windows of greased paper and seats of split logs. The heating apparatus consisted of a fireplace made of clay mor-

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tar and sticks. The ventilation system was poor, compared with ours today, although there was plenty of fresh air on all sides.

. The building just described was used for school purposes from 1840 until 1858, when the second building was erected on the present site of Jacob Gettle's restaurant. This was a square one-room frame building. The third building, erected in 1869, was a four-room brick structure. In 1882 this latter building was condemned and a new one of six rooms erected on the same site. A few years later two rooms were added to this building, at which time the first organized course of study was introduced for high school students. In 1911 this building, also, was condemned as being unsanitary, and a new one was erected the following year. The present building is a brick structure of twenty rooms, with all the modern conveniences.

The first teacher was an old German by the name of Baum. The other superintendents until the beginning of the high school were Sumner, Mun- dell, Burgess, Annie Fisher, Rood, William Martz, Griffin, Oldacre, Mont- gomery, Moore, Ships, Mckinsey, Williamson, Roudeybush, Sheil, Alford, Mavity and Bartholomew. Mitchell was the first of the superintendents after the organization of the high school. Following Mitchell were M. C. Martz, Ashby, Day, Vance. Randall. Llewellyn, Cantwell, Worley, Pfaffman, Wil- more and Wearly. In 1913 another step was made toward the unification of the schools, when Mr. T. P. Charles was made superintendent of the Jackson township schools.

In the beginning the high school course consisted of only two years' work. The subjects taught were quite limited, the main studies being al- gebra, civil government, general history, physics and English. About 1895 a few studies were added to the curriculum and the course was lengthened to three years. Again, about the year 1900, more subjects were introduced and the course lengthened to four years.

Until within the last few years the subjects taught were chiefly cultural. Recently the need of a vocational course of studies has been seen. Manual training was the first of the vocational studies taken up. The first .work- shop was in the physics laboratory. Owing to the lack of room, benches and tools, not much could be accomplished the first year. In the present building two rooms in the basement are occupied for this work, there being enough tools and benches for a class of about twenty-five to work at one time.

Nothing much was done toward teaching domestic economy until the present building was erected. Two rooms are used for this department of the course of studies. In the basement there is a well equipped kitchen and on the second floor a sewing room.

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Great interest is taken in agriculture, although the course at present is mainly theoretical. A movement is now on foot, however, through which State aid will be gained to help carry on this work, and conditions look favor- able for a more practical course. A splendid course in music is offered. Prof. C. M. Carter, the instructor, was the first of the township supervisors.

WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL.

Walnut Grove is situated in the center of White River township. It was named by Harbin Hobbs, who donated one acre of ground for the school. The first house erected was ordered by the county commissioners on a petition presented by Harbin Hobbs and James Good. Joe Orth built the house at a cost of six hundred dollars. It contained the first improved desks with folding seats in the township.

School was conducted in this building until 1903, when the present brick building was erected by F. H. Tascher, trustee. A high school was organized, which was commissioned in 1904. The first principal was Hosea Whiteneck. Following him was M. G. Burton. Under his administration the school acquired a reputation that reached beyond the borders of the State. He organized a splendid orchestra and band. Out of the speakers' stand on the school grounds he made a work-shop and equipped it with benches made by himself and the students. It was the first manual training shop in Indiana outside of a large city. A sewing class was also conducted at the same time.

In 1909 an auditorium was erected on the school grounds. These grounds now contain three acres, two acres having been given by John Newby. This auditorium is used for a number of purposes and is a valuable building for the community.

Under the management of the schools of the township, with Walnut Grove at the head, a very prosperous school and agricultural fair has been held for the last four years. At the fair held in October, 1914, there was a fine display of school work, domestic science and manual training work, agricultural products and fine stock. At least two thousand people were present. This school was one of the first to demonstrate that a successful high school can be conducted away from a town or village.

FISHERS SCHOOL.

The school at Fishers was originally taught in a small frame building. A two-room frame building was finally erected. This was followed by a brick building containing four rooms. It was finally condemned and the

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present elegant building was erected. This is an adequate and modern build- ing. Fishers has had as its principals such strong men as N. C. Randall, . E. J. Llewelyn, J. W. Stern, Will Hershman, W. H. Hershman, Will Dyer, H. L. Craig and C. G. Shortridge. It is a certified high school, is well equipped and is doing excellent work.

THE BOXLEY SCHOOLS.

The first school in Boxley was taught in a log cabin in the south part of the village. After a few years a frame building was erected in the north part of town and school was taught here. Only the grades were taught until 1877, when a two years' course in high school was organized and W. S. McMurty was chosen principal. After a few years the course was extended to four years and the school soon outgrew the building, necessitating the erection of the present building by Theo. Pettijohn, trustee, in 1904.

In 1905 some agriculture was taught by the principal, Arza Harris. This is one of the first high schools in the State to introduce this subject. At present excellent work is done in each of the vocational subjects. Fol- lowing is a list of the principals: W. S. McMurtry, Stephen Hinshaw, F. L. Greeson, A. C. Harris, John Teter, F. V. Kercheval, E. C. Denney and N. E. Boyer.

CICERO SCHOOLS.

The early schools of the vicinity of Cicero were taught by New Eng- landers. One lady taught for many years in a school located at Cicero. Not much is known of the early history of these schools. They were like most of the pioneer schools. In 1867 Cicero erected what was then called a mag- nificent school building. It was three stories high and contained nine rooms. The erection of this building threw a burden on the corporation of Cicero that sapped its resources for many years.

The school was conducted as a common school until the administration of Frank A. Gause, who organized the high school. In 1911 the building was. destroyed by fire. Immediately the board took steps to erect a new building, and the present structure is modern and well equipped. The vo- cational subjects are taught and the school is up to date. A. Landreth is the efficient superintendent.

ATLANTA SCHOOLS.

For many years the school at Atlanta was called the Shieldville school, and later the Beuna Vista school. It afterward became the Atlanta school,

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and in 1900 a high school was organized with a two years' course taught by one teacher. Gradually more teachers were added and the course lengthened to three years, and then to four years. During the three years, from 1911 to 1914, the growth in the high school has been very rapid, increasing from fifty to eighty-six members.

These schools for a number of years have been noted for the excellency of their work. The grades and high school are well equipped, and vocational work is carried on in an up-to-date manner. Following is a list of the prin- cipals : J. A. Mitchell, Grafton Reagan, J. H. Mavity, John Hussey, C. Teter, Roscoe Beals, E. O. Maple, Jas. Moody and T. P. Charles.

CARMEL SCHOOLS.

The Carmel schools for many years were a part of Carmel Academy. Previous to the erection of Carmel Academy a one-room building stood one- half mile north of Carmel, on the west side of the road. An old-fashioned box-car schoolhouse also stood just south of town. This house was occu- pied long after Carmel Academy was organized.

In 1887 the present building was erected, the Carmel Academy building abandoned (it had already been condemned) and school was organized in the new building. The school grew rapidly and at present has five grade teachers and four teachers in the high school. The present building is in- adequate and has been condemned. A temporary building has been erected, where the vocational and science work is taught. Following is a list of the principals since Carmel Academy was abandoned: David Wells, Bert E. Ellis, John Hussey, F. A. Gause, Chas. Mendenhall, J. E. Retherford, John W. Teter, Edward Morgan, Homer Cotton, John W. Starn, W. C. Pidgeon and M. L. Sterritt.

RURAL SCHOOLS OF COUNTY.

The schools of Hamilton county rank with the best in the State. There are a number of consolidated schools, requiring sixty-nine wagons in which to convey the children to and from their school work. These consolidated schools are well equipped and are doing splendid work. Atlanta, Arcadia, Carmel, Westfield and Walnut Grove are commissioned schools under town- ship control. Boxley and Fishers are certified high schools. All these schools are doing excellent work and, in addition to the former courses, are offering courses in agriculture, manual training and domestic science. Wash- ington township high school at Westfield was the first in Indiana to include

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agriculture in the high school course. Walnut Grove was the first outside of a large city to equip a manual training shop.

CLAY CENTER SCHOOL.

One of the best schools in the county is the consolidated school at Clay Center. It is the only school building occupied in Clay township. The building was erected in 1911 and is modern in all respects. No high school work is offered but the grades are maintained. Work in agriculture, manual training and domestic science is given. Music is also well taught. The playground is well equipped with apparatus.

This school is a typical community center. Lectures and entertain- ments are given and the patrons from the whole community attend. Mr. .H. L. Hollenbach is the efficient principal.

The rural schools of the county have not been neglected. Music has been taught in all these schools since 1904. Chorus classes, orchestras and mandolin and guitar clubs have been formed. One, often two, and some- times all three of the vocational subjects are taught in a one-room building.

The Bethlehem school, in Fall Creek township, was the first rural school in Indiana, perhaps in the United States, to teach manual training and do- mestic science. These subjects were taught by Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Hollen- back.

It was through the schools that the first corn club in the world was organized; the first school fairs were held.

In 1908 an Athletic, Oratorical and Musical Association was organized. It has held eight very successful meetings. The field day and the oratorical evening are events that all high school students look forward to.

Every country schoolhouse in the county is situated on a pike road. Most of these houses are neat brick buildings. The first brick house erected in a rural district is Number Six, in Jackson township. It is still in use. The last log house used for school purposes was Number sixteen in Adams town- ship. The last term taught there was in 1876, by O. P. Roberts, a colored man.

The above account of the schools of Hamilton county occupies a num- ber of pages, and yet the writer recognizes that the sketch is very imperfect and that many things of importance are omitted. Nor is his pen capable of paying due tribute to the noble men and women who have given their lives to the education of the children of this county, and to the equally noble fathers and mothers whose sacrifices and support have made possible the . splendid schools that adorn our community.

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CHAPTER XXI.

FRATERNAL AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.

SOMETHING REGARDING THE VARIOUS LODGES IN HAMILTON COUNTY.

For more than half a century the prejudice against secret orders, which formerly obtained in the minds of people who did not hold membership in such fraternities, has almost totally disappeared in this country. Lodges, like churches, no doubt have some unworthy members, but as a whole the membership of secret and benevolent societies is made up of truly worthy, exemplary citizens, both men and women. Perhaps the most ancient order among the long list now in existence is the Masonic fraternity, hence this will have first place in this chapter on the various lodges of Hamilton county. If it be found that any have been omitted, this omission is due to the fact that no reports were sent in, but it is believed that all have been named and the history of the same outlined in a more or less comprehensive fashion.

MASONIC LODGES.

Masonry in the city of Noblesville is more than eighty-six years old. It goes back almost to the date of the town government, and its climax was reached in the recent dedication of the cornerstone of the new and magnifi- cent Masonic Temple, centrally located in Noblesville, a lasting and truly befitting monument to the work of the order during all these four score and six years.

The first Masonic lodge was Hamilton lodge No. 32, whose charter was granted November 26, 1828, with Jeremiah Leaming, worshipful mas- ter; William Conner, senior warden, and Nathan D. Shoemaker, junior warden. The Grand Lodge of Indiana had been organized only ten years before, at Madison. Nineteen years after the first Hamilton lodge was or- ganized, Hamilton lodge No. 57 was granted a charter. The three principal officers were: Jesse Lutz, worshipful master; James B. Hall, senior war- den, and Gardner Perry, junior warden. In 1850 Noblesville lodge No. 103 was granted a charter. This lodge was of short life, and we find the fol-

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lowing resolution recorded in the records of the Grand Lodge at Indian- apolis, introduced by Brother White, probably George White, one of the fathers of Masonry in this county :

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 33

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051